In communication systems the preservation of bandwidth on communication links can be a very high priority. For example, in wireless communication systems wireless spectrum is usually very limited. Efficient and even optimal use of spectrum is critical to the marketability of wireless infrastructure equipment. In addition, the power and ubiquity of the internet protocol (IP) is driving its use in communication systems. However, because of the size of IP headers, using the protocol often requires more bandwidth on communication links. Therefore, a need exists for a communication infrastructure and method for preserving bandwidth when IP messaging is used.